Because the Night
by JadeDjo
Summary: Luke and Mara are enjoying a romantic evening at an exclusive Coruscant restaurant before their wedding. When the night turns steamy they find they always seem to have the worst luck. Part of the "Getting To Know You Series"


The air lanes on the way to Mara's apartment were full of the usual assortment of airspeeders, cargo transports, and personal shuttlecraft. Luke knew he was on time. Had even given himself extra time in case of any backups. But this didn't keep him from tailgating a SlaynRoche Co shuttlecraft or outright passing a lumbering Dromor Motors cargo hauler. The only thing that kept him from speeding was this particular airspeeder he was flying was a rental.

Finally, after being stuck behind a family of Aqualish for 3 kilometers he made it to Mara's building with only two angry honks and one rude gesture from a Weequay. If any of the beings knew Jedi Master Luke Skywalker was the one who cut them off, they would be shocked. He was just lucky the luxury airspeeder had black tinted windows, giving the occupants complete privacy.

He got out, smoothing any wrinkles from his midnight blue suit, and wondered if he should ask Mara to move in with him again. They were going to be married in only a few standard months and it felt like a waste of credits for her to keep her apartment. Her initial reason just didn't stand true anymore. Not after tonight.

Luke ran a hand over is formal wear again when he reached Mara's door; brushing imaginary lint from his sleeves, and checking his hair wasn't sticking up in the back for some reason. Only when he was satisfied did he sound the door chime.

The door slid open after only a moment and Mara stood on the other side as she finished securing a shimmering turquoise wrap around herself. For a moment all he could do was admire the captivating sight she presented. Her red-gold hair was artfully arranged with braids and curls on top of her head. A few loose strands fluttered around her ears. Diamonds sparkled from her earrings and crystals glittered in her hair as she cocked her head at him. The makeup on her face enhancing her natural beauty. All he wanted to do at the moment was kiss her and never stop.

"If you kiss me Skywalker, we'll never make our reservation," she said as she picked up his thoughts through the bond he had purposefully left open. "And all my hard work to get ready would be for naught."

"Not for nothing," he said appreciatively and held his arm out for her in a Coruscanti court gesture. "Ready?"

She winked at him. "For dinner, yes," she said as she sent through the bond the equivalent of You I'll save for later. She grabbed a silver handbag from a table next to the entrance and accepted his arm. Then gave him a quick kiss before letting him lead her down to the docking bay. His stomach fluttering the whole way.

After they exited the turbolift she glanced around, overlooking his rental and said, "Where is your airspeeder?"

"For tonight, this is," and he opened the seek, shiny silver airspeeder's passenger door.

"This?!" She exclaimed. "But this is a Nubian X-Type luxury personal airspeeder."

"Yep," he agreed and rocked on his heels like a kid. He'd always wanted to fly one.

"A speeder that probably costs more than the Jedi's annual operating budget."

"Less than a quarter," he assured her.

Mara frowned, "Luke."

"It's just a rental."

"Still," she said, dubiously. Her elegant eyebrows coming together in a frown. Luke was still trying to convince her that he enjoyed giving her gifts and spoiling her in a way she may not do for herself. His Uncle had been the same way. A man of few words, Owen Lars always made a show of giving his Aunt a gift when she least expected it. Nothing large or expensive. They just didn't have the money for it. But a cliff vine flower or some sand-shrooms he saw growing during first dawn, which were her favorite. She would always give him a mock scowl then kiss his cheek and say, I love you too. In this way, Mara reminded him of Aunt Beru. Practical to the core.

"Mara, my love," he said exasperated. "Tonight is special. Let me treat you."

"Alright," she conceded as he handed her into her seat. "I won't say a thing more." And let him feel her apology, not wanting to ruin the night arguing.

He lifted off and joined one of the sky lanes headed for Sah'c Town, also known as Coruscant's entertainment district.

"So, are you going to tell me how you managed to get a table at _Skyward_?" asked Mara as she ran her hands over the supple black Ibeny leather seats as he settled into one of the topmost skylanes. "They are usually booked 6 months in advance,"

He flashed her a smile. "I have my ways," he said mysteriously.

She saw through his act, "What did you promise?" He saw her give him a shrewd look as she abandoned her inspection of the Wroshyr wood paneled dash.

"I agreed _Skyward_ may use my name and image in its promotional material, but not my endorsement," he explained. Luke really couldn't keep them from telling people he'd eaten there anyway but he tried to keep companies from using that as an excuse to endorse their products.

"Finally exploiting your fame?" she said a bit snidely.

"Only for a good cause."

"A good cause is helping orphans or revealing the exploitation of sentients," Mara said. "Taking me out to dinner is…"

"A good cause if it makes you happy," and he picked up her hand, kissing it across the knuckles.

She shook her head and he felt exasperation through the bond, but the smile on her face told him he wasn't in trouble. "Never change Farmboy," she said with some amusement.

Evidently, she was taking his desire to pamper her to heart. Normally if he said something so sentimental she would give him a dismayed sigh and call him an emotional idiot.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence. Mara's hand still in his as he flew. Unlike before, he was in no hurry to reach their destination, one of Coruscant's top restaurants, _Skyward_.

All too soon Luke was landing on the entrance platform. The valet was already waiting by his door to park the speeder and another attendant was helping Mara out of the vehicle, both in matching livery of black and fuschia. He left the speeder in the valet's capable hands and went around the front to where Mara waited. Unfortunately, the _Skyward_ had insisted holographers be present when they arrived as part of their deal. "Brace yourself," he said leaning in close to Mara's ear. "We're about to run the gauntlet."

"Then we'd better give them the show they came for," she said as she let the wrap fall from her shoulders. With it on, Luke hadn't seen much more of her dress then the turquoise skirts that floated about her legs like smoke and sparkled here and there as it caught the light and a beaded collar circling her neck. But with the wrap gone he saw that the collar was the top of the dress, and the only thing keeping it on her. The entire back of the dress was open from the clasp of the collar all the way down to the small of her back, just before the flare of her hips. The beads and sequins of the collar flowed down the front of the gown in a dazzling display of turquoise, blues, and silvers, that thinned as it reached her hips until only a few sparkled around her legs. The fabric was nearly shear as he could see the outline of her legs through the skirts and only a lining on the bodice kept it from being indecent. And sexy as hell.

He was dumbstruck at the sight. "Close your mouth Farmboy," Mara teased through a plastered-on smile for the cameras. "They're rolling." She looked like a glamourous holo star posing before the cameras with the calm cool professionalism that Luke could never hope to match.

He quickly pulled himself together and ran a hand along the exposed portion of her back from nape to hip, coming to rest at the small of her back just before the fabric started again. She shivered against him and her mind swirled in yearning for his hand to keep going and admonishment to behave. The fake smile he wore widened into a real one. She wasn't as calm as she appeared.

They posed for a few moments before walking into the sanctuary of the _Skyward's_ foyer. "Master Skywalker, Captain Jade," a female Zabrak bowed her head. Her simple fuschia gown a match for parking attendants vests and went well with her pale skin and black tattoos. The cranial horns almost hidden among her black hair piled in a simple style on her head. "Welcome to the _Skyward_. I would be honored to show you to your table." She bowed again and they followed through a minimalist foyer lined with organic looking sculptures made of a shiny silver metal. The walls where metal as well but dyed with dark iridescent coating that made them look dark blue, purple, or magenta depending on the viewers angle. Once through the passage separating foyer from the main dining room they entered into a vast, cavernous space.

Luke wasn't sure what to expect but he should have expected something like the view before him with a name like _Skyward_.

The restaurant was at the pinnacle of one of Sah'c Town's tallest buildings. While not the tallest on Coruscant, it was taller than most of the others in the surrounding vicinity. The entire ceiling was one continuous piece of transparasteel that curved over the room in a giant dome ending at the floor. There was not a table in the place that didn't have an unobstructed view of Coruscant's sky and those tables on the outer edge would have an equally impressive view of the city planet's

skyline. The sun was just starting to set and the gradients of yellow, orange, red, and dark blue filled the dome.

The tables were arrayed in a spiral pattern so that if you flew overhead and looked straight down it would look like every other spoke of the spiral radiated in the opposite direction of each other from the center. Similar to a Tatooine Dreamnet.

"As this is your first experience at the _Skyward_ ," their hostess said as she led them through a maze of tables. "You will be interested to know that the transparasteel dome has been engineered to create a magnification effect and to eliminate any distortions due to its curvature. This means that wherever you wish to look, the view will be magnified 50x with perfect clarity. As you have wisely chosen one of the peripheral tables you will experience a 360 vista of Coruscant's skyline as you dine. The entire restaurant rotates in a clockwise direction from true north and completes one full rotation every 2 hours. Each course will be brought out to ensure that you not miss the full rotation. Each table is also equipped with a limited range dampening field to ensure that conversations made while seated at your table remain private."

They reached a table on the outer edges of the room. The view looked out over CoCo Town, the 'Collective Commerce' area of Galactic City. With the direction the restaurant was spinning, the Senate District would appear in about an hour. "This is your table," she indicated a lavishly set table with fresh Velanie flowers and Ke'der luster-stone plates. Luke led Mara to her seat, gently holding her chair for her as she brushed the petals of the flowers with her fingers. He was pulling out every courtly manner Leia and drilled into him for diplomatic functions. He took his own seat as the hostess said, "If there is anything you require, please do not hesitate to inform your server." And as if summoned by the Zabrak's words a Cerean man appeared on her right. He did not wear the same black and fuschia. His accent color was a bright blue. "Please enjoy your time at the Skyward." She bowed once more and left.

The Cerean bowed too, with his head up keeping his large, tapering cranial from bumping anything, and said with a gentle sounding voice, "Master Skywalker, Captain Jade, it will be my honor to serve you tonight. My name is Er-Abi-Duei. May I start you out with anything to drink? The Skyward's boasts to a diverse collection of spirits and wines from around the galaxy are not exaggerated."

Luke looked to Mara and said without saying that he would leave the selection up to her. She nodded and told Er-Abi-Duei, "We would like to start off with a Felusian white wine for myself and a Sizzle Starlight for Luke."

"A very fine choice my lady," their server said with a pleased smile. "A woman who knows her wines." And he left.

"Just what is a Sizzle Starlight?" Luke asked.

"It's a low proof KeKe honey wine and citrus fizz. I think you'll like it. The wine is made by the monks of the Whills who are, not worshippers, but believers in the Force, though not themselves sensitives."

"I think I've heard of them from Tionne. They are on her list of Force cultures to visit and study. Her main obstacle was the destruction of their Temple of the Whills which was destroyed on Jedha."

"Yes, this particular wine comes from a subset on ReeCee."

The conversation flowed from there. Er-Abi-Duei brought their drinks and menus, saying he would be back for their order as soon as they were ready. He studied Mara as she looked at her menu and he couldn't help but think that with a breathtaking vista only to his left, he'd much rather look at her as long as he could.

As he gazed at her, a smile appeared on her face and amusement flashed through their bond. "Do you want me to order the food for both of us as well?" She asked without looking up. "You have yet to even open your menu."

"What if what I want isn't on the menu?" he asked seriously.

"Perhaps good things come to those who wait," and she dropped her shields for just an instant and a wave of desire flashed them both.

He tried hard not to gasp and took a sip of his drink to compose himself. "If you keep that up, I doubt we'll make it the full rotation," he warned.

She finally looked up. The turquoise of her dress making her eyes even more green in the lights hidden among the flower arrangement. "I'm enjoying myself too much at the moment to make a decision one way or another. But you should know," and her voice went mock serious for a moment. "There is a chocolate dish on the menu tonight. It would be a shame to leave before you've had dessert."

"The dessert I'm imagining tastes even better than chocolate," he said in the same tone.

She laughed and he felt the toe of her foot slide along his leg. "2 desserts then," and her eyes sparkled with mirth and passion.

He needed a distraction or they would never make it past the first course. "You go ahead and order for both of us," he said. "If there is a menu at any of the formal functions I've attended I usually just order the first item listed."

"Risky."

"Not anymore then just ordering the 'special', but they never say 'nerf steak' or 'roasted vegetables' it's always something more flowery."

"Then why is our last date at such a fancy restaurant?" Mara asked with genuine curiosity.

"Because I wanted to impress you with my courtly manners?"

She shook her head. "Try again farmboy"

"Because I wanted tonight to be special. Something we'll never forget," he said. "And it's worth it seeing you in that dress." And let his eyes roam over her again.

"Thank you," she said lowering her eyes and accepting the compliment. Then the demure expression changed to a lascivious one as she looked up through her lashes, "That dark blue suites you too. Much better than the black you wore to the official Peace Signing reception, brings out your eyes."

He coughed, her wanton appraisal of him catching him off guard. "So, yeah, order for us both," he mumbled.

"Alright then," and she signaled to their waiter. It was technically his responsibility as the arranger of the date to handle the details. In each of their 9 previous dates, the 4 he had orchestrated he'd taken care of everything. But this, their last in the agreed upon 10, was turning out to be a blend. Which was as it should be as their lives had blended between the 9 previous dates and their minds on Nirauan.

There was an orchestra playing in the center of the dome which also had a moderately sized dance floor. After Mara finished ordering, telling their server to bring whatever wine he thought would accompany the meal best, Luke asked, "Would you care to dance?"

"I would like that," and he rose to pull her chair out as she stood. They linked arms and it might have been his imagination but he thought there were a few turned heads as they walked arm in arm towards the dance floor. He could only assume they wondered how Master Skywalker, a noted social recluse could get a date with such a beautiful and alluring woman.

They reached the center where a few other beings where dancing to a slow melodic tune and Mara turned and stepped into his arms. It felt right to have her there, one had on his shoulder, the other in his left hand, his right at the curve of her back. Her body close, a mere fractional distance away from being pressed against his. They slow stepped for a few moments before Mara said, "Do you really think of me that way?" They had been leaving the bond open all evening and stray thoughts and feelings had been passing both ways in a comfortable rhythm that would have set her teeth on edge only a few months ago. Now she seemed to have accepted it. Welcomed it at times and no longer shied away from learning his intimate thoughts or vice versa.

How could she not know that she was beautiful. "Of course," he said earnestly.

"Because you love me," she reasoned as if that could be the only reason.

"Yes, but I've always thought so," Luke clarified.

"Even when I hadn't had a proper bath in weeks?" referring to her time alone on Nirauan.

"Especially then," he said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

If they weren't is such a refined setting she no doubt would have snorted, thinking he was being overly sentimental again. "You lie," Mara said even though she could feel he wasn't.

"Do I?" and to really prove it to her, he dropped another layer of his mental shields for her to get a glimpse of his memories. He had been so happy to see that she was still alive and appreciated the way she had kept herself going while waiting for someone to come get her. Also, that bodysuit she wore hugged her curves in all the right places.

"Really?!" she said in mock distress. "I was trapped with a potentially hostile species and you were checking me out?"

"Can you honestly tell me you weren't doing the same?" His answer was slight blush to her cheeks as she turned her head to suddenly study the orchestra and a feeling of chagrin through the bond. He smiled and sent his appreciation, telling her that he liked it when she looked at him too.

Mara turned back to look him in the eye as their minds floated together as their feelings of contentment and mutual enjoyment swirled in time to the music. They danced that way till the end of the song and through the next. When the music ended he brought her hand in it his to his lips before they made their way back to the table.

They were only seated for a few moments when the first course arrived. By this time the Column Commons was passing out of view and the dark, lightless shapes of the Manarai Mountains was rotating in. The last light from Coruscant's sun cast the mountains as black holes within the continuous light of Galactic City.

Two bowls filled with a yellow-orange, translucent broth and vegetables floating there in where set before them. Their mostly empty glasses were exchanged for fresh ones and a sparkling light green wine was poured. Er-Abi-Duei and the other servers left without speaking.

"It's Coudour," Mara narrated their dish. "A broth-based soup from Aquilae. And the wine," she took a sip. "May be Sparkling Lalanai Tea Wine."

He took a sip of the broth and a light assortment of earthy flavors washed over his tongue.

They ate a few bites before he asked, "Do you know if Karrde will let you stay close to the core for the next few months?" Hoping that the smuggler turned intelligence broker had no need to send her to the far reaches of his galaxy-spanning network.

"I think so," she said and his worry that they would be separated so close to the wedding eased. "The transition within The Organization is still in the early stages. Contracts are being completed and notices of the change in operation are still being sent out. Most of our business will remain the same. It's just the… less visible parts that will need to change." Less visible meaning, smuggling.

"I imagine that will create problems."

"Karrde is a good employer. Many will want to stay on with him. But yes," she sighed. "There will be those who see it as a betrayal. Especially when they find out who 2 of his main new clients will be."

"Staying with a man who sells information to the New Republic or Empire will cause an abandoning of the ship, as it were."

"Yes," she shook her head. "Not much we can do about it other than head off those we feel will take the news badly."

"What about the power vacuum that Karrde will create," Luke said finishing off his soup. "The Organization is also a stabilizing force against some pirate gangs and even the Hutt's."

"That is still something that Karrde and I need to work out. How to keep, especially the Hutt's, or a group like Black Sun, from filling that void."

"I received a report from one of my knights saying there was a new group based on the outer rim of the Corellian Run."

"We've heard that too," she nodded taking another sip of wine. "But have yet to locate their base. I don't suppose your Jedi knew anything about that?"

"No, unfortunately. But she did say they were slavers. Jedi Sathel managed to free a shipment of slaves and take them to Christophsis." Luke had read the report Hojal had sent and ordered 2 more knights into that area to ask questions. So far nothing had come of it.

"I'll let Karrde know if he doesn't already," Mara said as she finished her own soup.

They kept the conversation flowing until the 3rd course arrived. Mara was smiling with happiness and the bond told him she was truly enjoying herself. Now, he figured, would be the time to broach the subject of the separate apartments. If she was going to be around the Core and concurrently, Coruscant, then there was no reason she couldn't move into his apartment, the larger of the 2, in the Palace.

"I was wondering," he said after Er-Abi-Duei placed a grilled Mon Calamari Onopi salmon with a Xim butter sauce and left. "If you would like to move in, now that," but she cut him off before he could finish.

"Now that that Great Dating Game, as Solo likes to call it, is over?" she huffed, and only because the bond was open did he know she was mocking Han's nickname rather than his suggestion.

"Yes, it just seems frivolous to keep both apartments at this point."

She didn't speak for a moment as she focused on her fish. He could feel her thoughts swirling in her mind, not clear enough to gauge what she would say but enough to know that she needed time to think. He wasn't sure what she needed to think about. It seemed straightforward to him. They were going to be married in a few months and their relationship had progressed so far since he had first asked her that he was a little hurt her thoughts were so unclear.

Eventually, she looked up at him and smiled and sent a wave of reassurance to him. "Not unclear or uncertain. Just weighing the pros and cons…"

Just what did she mean by that? "What pros and…"

"Of public opinion," she interrupted him and finished her sentence. "What you are asking is simple from our perspective. I would say yes with no hesitation," she soothed him. "But we have been very quiet about our relationship as far as the public is concerned."

"What do they..," he started to say, but she held up a hand forestalling him.

"The same reason you got this table at a restaurant even Leia would have to finagle a reservation at. And tonight, we stood together to have our holo taken that will be all over the Holonet by tomorrow. A declaration to be sure. Followed closely by a wedding. If you were a sentient in the galaxy who saw someone famous suddenly move in with their partner, before marriage, followed closely by said marriage, what would be your first thought."

"That they must really love each other," he said deflecting her question.

She scoffed at that, gave him a disbelieving look and said, "Oh come on Luke, I know you're not that naive."

"Alright," and he told her the answer she was looking for. "That someone was suddenly pregnant and they need a hasty marriage to cover it up."

"That's right. So, I was just thinking about whether or not you needed that kind of gossip right now."

"Why just me?" he asked perplexed. Surely her reputation was just as important.

"You're a higher profile figure then I am," she explained. "I'm sure that I could withstand the gossip, but you are much more sensitive to that kind of thing and I doubt you could let it go once the reporters started in on me."

He didn't like it, but she wasn't wrong either. He'd gotten better at ignoring what the sensation press said about him, and Leia had long ago learned to ignore what they said about her so he tried not to pay any attention to that either. Han couldn't care one way or the other what people thought of him, save his family. In fact, Luke avoided the social press altogether when he could. Would he be able to ignore what they said about Mara? He didn't think so.

"You win, but we are living together after we're married and that's final," he stressed and she laughed.

"Only because you insist," she teased playing along and running her toe against his calf for the 4th time that night, only this time the wandering toe reached and brushed his inner thigh.

"I do, I most certainly do," smiling with anticipation at the thought of living, sleeping next to Mara for the rest of his life. "I love you and I'm not letting you go."

"I love you too," the admission falling easily from her very kissable lips. The love and yearning mixing between the two of them so that they didn't know who an initiated it.

He hesitated for a second before asking, "Do you mind skipping to the last course?"

Mara licked her bottom lip. "I think that would be a good idea," and the anticipation between them doubled.

Luke looked around for their server, but it was a minute before he spotted him towards the dance floor, and another minute before he was close enough to signal without shouting or getting up and dragging him back to their table.

"Yes, Master Skywalker? What may I help you with?"

"We'd like to skip to the dessert please?"

Er-Abi-Duei suddenly looked worried. "Is there something wrong with the Onopi salmon? I'm sure if it is not to your liking then the next course can be brought out promptly."

"There is nothing wrong with the salmon, it's excellent. We would just like the desert now," Luke asserted.

"Please," Mara added and though Er-Abi-Duei looked dubious that anyone would not want to stay for the full menu he was too well trained at his job to object with the customer. "As you wish," he bowed and headed for the kitchens.

"Do we really need to stay for dessert?" Luke tried not to sound impatient. He really did.

Mara stroked his hand laying on top of the table and leaned in over it, "Patience Skywalker. What would it look like if we left early?"

Matching her posture, Luke professed in a low voice, "That I want to take you home and make love to you all night long." He was just about to lean in for a kiss when the dining-room attendants arrived and cleared their half-eaten fish and wine glasses. As soon as they left, two plates were set before them while Er-Abi-Duei placed two crystal mugs down and filled them from an intricately designed canister. "I hope you have enjoyed your time at the _Skyward_ ," he bowed and left.

Once again Mara explained the dish. "Naboo nectar fruit dipped in dark chocolate and served with iced creamed A'Dandoo honey milk. To drink is a shot of caf mixed with steamed Wai'Mia milk and chocolate."

He took his first bite and the richness of the bitter chocolate mixed with juicy sweet, slightly sour taste of the fruit exploded on his tongue. All thoughts of quickly eating the dessert so he could take Mara home as soon as possible warred with his desire to enjoy every bite.

"Try a bite with the iced cream then follow it with a sip of caf," Mara said and followed her own directions. Closing her eyes and savoring the flavors as they mixed in her mouth. A mouth he would very much like to taste himself. She smiled with her eyes still closed. He'd made no effort to hide his thoughts as he watched her eat. He took a bite of his own dish whenever she did and imagined kissing her after the bitter-sweet of the chocolate covered fruit mixed with Mara's own sweet mouth. Then moving to her throat and lavishing it with his tongue, moving down her back until he could taste the nectar of her own body. Lapping at her sensitive bud till she moaned for her release. She breathed in quickly as the full image of what he would like to do to her flashed in her mind. He felt her arousal spike and he idly wondered if he could make her come right here with just the power of his imagination.

What he hadn't counted on was her own ability to send him information just as imaginative as his. Luke saw in his mind's eye her kneeling before him while she ran a chocolate-laden finger down his bare chest and follow it with her mouth. Sucking and licking the chocolate clean from his skin until she licked her way to his erection. Running her tongue from base to tip before enclosing him into her hot wet mouth.

Eyes he didn't remember closing, flew open and saw her looking at him with a sensuous smile. The heat in her eyes as she watched him only hardening him more. He had to break her gaze to regain some equilibrium and absently noticed that his iced cream was melting quickly and the fruit was only half eaten. Any other time and he would have loved to finish it. But not tonight. Tonight, he had a much more enticing meal planned. "I think we're done," his voice rougher then he'd like for as much control as he was exerting.

"I think we are too," Mara's voice breathless as she folded her napkin on the table.

They moved toward the exit and a controlled pace, trying not to rush out the door, or for Luke simply pick Mara up and carry her all the way to the speeder. Once they were again in the foyer he asked for their vehicle to be brought around as Mara collected her bag and wrap. He tried for calm and knew it wouldn't take the airspeeder long to come but he found himself shifting from foot to foot as Mara, her warmth pressed against his side, did nothing to dispel his impatience while she stroked his back under his jacket. He kept his right hand firmly at his side while the left arm was wrapped around her shoulders keeping her against him. The thin shall she'd worn to hide the surprise of her gown, hung loosely from her arms.

It couldn't have been more than a few minutes, but felt like an hour, when the Nubian airspeeder landed and Luke all but stuffed Mara inside before jumping in himself. The takeoff only slow and controlled because of the need to merge into the sky lanes.

"Your place or mine," he said as he tried to concentrate on flying. Mara's hand on his thigh doing small circles that was not helping his concentration but he didn't dare tell her to stop.

"Mine, it's closer and more private," she purred and by all the gods of the universe, how much did he love that sound, as her hand moved up a fraction.

Luke swallowed hard, glad he was already flying in that direction. He doubted he could last till his apartment 30 minutes father then hers.

Eventually, reluctantly, Luke extracted her hand from his leg after a close call with an air taxi. Kissing it he appealed, "My love, if you don't keep your hands to yourself, tomorrow's headline will be 'Master Luke Skywalker and Captain Mara Jade crashed last night in a ball of burning passion after colliding with an air taxi.' Emphasis on the burning."

The throaty laugh from the passenger's seat sent shivers of anticipation through him but she reluctantly removed her hand which had been all but cupping him. Now that he could concentrate he flew with renewed speed, deftly passing the other vehicles.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in a hurry," a wicked note to her voice. "I hope that is not the theme of the rest of the evening."

"Trust me," he assured her. "What I have planned will take all night."

"Good," a satisfied sound and Luke spared a moment to look at her. Mara's arms were crossed in an effort to keep them from distracting him again and she all be vibrated with anticipation. Shifting in her seat, anticipating the g-forces as he made turns, accelerated, and decelerated. She was just as impatient as he was.

The amount of effort it took to land the speeder and make their way up to Mara's apartment, all with the minimum amount of touching took just as much attention as flying had. As soon as the turbolift doors closed on them, Luke wanted to embrace her and kiss her breathless. He may have been shielding his thoughts in an effort to distract himself but Mara still whispered, "Security cameras." And he thrust his hands deep in his pockets to keep them off her.

Agonizing minutes later, Mara was keying open her door and Luke all but dragged her inside not even waiting till the door slide completely shut before his mouth closed on hers and his hands descended on her hips bringing them firmly against his, his hard length pressing against her pelvis. To her credit, she was just as eager as she accepted his kiss, her tongue dancing with his as her hands raked his hair. They stayed that way, tasting, touching whatever was nearest.

Eventually, his hands rounded her backside and lifted her so that her legs could wrap around his waist and he could reach her neck. The only problem was it was currently covered by the beaded collar, defining him access to the sensitive skin at the base of her throat. "Mara," he said against her mouth. "Can you undo the collar?"

Holding her was no problem but he still leaned against the closed door to counterbalance her as she leaned away slightly to unclasp the collar and let it fall between them, and taking the entire top of her dress with it. Nothing but pure cream-colored skin greeted him as he sluggishly realized she had no undergarments on. He groaned and leaned forward to lick one of the pink nipples suddenly in his face.

She gasped as his mouth closed over her breast and he sucked, swirling his tongue first one way then the other before moving to the other breast to repeat the process. "Yes," she moaned and her pleasure rushed over him heightening his own. "Luke, yes…" and her hands were pulling gently on his hair to bring his mouth back up to hers. Then he was carrying her into the bedroom, thankful that the door was open already. He didn't want to let her go to fumble with the door control and his thoughts were so focused on Mara he doubted he could use the Force even if he tried.

As soon as Luke's shins touched the edge of the bed he slowly lowered her down till she was kneeling on it while he stood before her. She thrust her hands beneath his jacket, forcing it off his shoulders while his hands explored the exposed skin of her torso and back. He was cupping her breasts, running his thumbs over her nipples while she worked the fastenings of his pants when the first chirp from the comms unit in the other room went off. Mara ignored it as she finally worked his pants open and was stroking him in a similar way he was her breasts. Using her thumb to rub over his tip. The ripples of extacy passing from one to the other in rythem with their hands.

Distantly, as if from a dream, chirp sounded again.

"Mara," he said into her throat between sucking at the pulse of her neck.

"Ignore it," she said through a gasp as his left had managed to gather her skirts up and his bare hand touched her inner thigh just outside her folds, she wasn't wearing undergarments here either. "Don't stop." He did as she asked and he slipped a finger past her folds and against the burning heat, already soaked with her own nectar.

"You're so wet," he said as his finger spread the silky wetness over her clit.

"Yes, yes, yessss," she hissed throwing her head back as his finger circled her again before slipping inside.

The chirp was still sounding when Mara suddenly stilled. Her hand gone from his cock and she was abruptly pushing him away. "Wait, Luke, stop...ahhh," she urged ending in a groan when his fingers kept up the rythme on her clit. Her next words where breathless and she pushed his hand away, "I have to answer the comm." He released her but his brain was still catching up as she scooted off the bed.

"Wait, where are you going? I thought we agreed no commlinks?" Luke said as he watched her leave the room.

"We did, but you don't understand. There are only a handful of people who have that com-code. One of them I'm currently trying to fuck, the others know not to use it unless its an emergency," she said over her shoulder as she straightened her dress to a presentable appearance and she made her way to the comm controls. Luke stayed where he was, hoping that this emergency could at least wait 20 more minutes. Though in his current state it might be less.

She answered the chirp and he heard Talon Karrde's voice over the speakers, and his heart sank as he flopped on the bed. Karrde wouldn't call Mara unless it couldn't wait. "Mara, good," the cultured voice said through the speakers. "Faughn and the _Starry Ice_ were on they're way to the Skyward to pick you up. I was just informed by the restaurant that you had left. I presume I can redirect them to your apartment?"

"Yes. What is this about?" she said. All business in her voice and mind. All traces of the wild passion from just a minute before locked behind her shields. The Starry Ice wouldn't need to pick her up if it wasn't dire. Luke started putting his clothes to rights. Silently and behind strong shields, he cursed the Force for bringing them together only to keep tearing them apart. But for some reason, the Force was acting prudish and they wouldn't be able to consummate this relationship until they were married.

"Faughn will fill you in. The short version is that Piani Kang and her crew are trying to stage a coup. I am already on route to Cona and need you, Faughn and as many as I can manage before the whole Organization is dragged into this. The _Starry Ice's_ ETA is 15 minutes."

"I'll be ready," Mara confirmed.

"Good," then Karrde hesitated a fraction of a second before saying. "I'm sorry to disturb you Mara, but you did look quite stunning in that dress. Karrde out." The line went silent and Mara stared at it for a heartbeat before turning and saw him standing in the bedroom doorway.

He straightened up from the wall he was leaning against while Karrde had spoken. He saw the anger at the unfairness in the galaxy for pulling them apart yet again, in the square of her shoulders and clenched fists. Blocking his disappointment behind strong shields he radiated understanding and forgiveness. Making his way over to her he cupped her face and kissed her deep and slow. "I have to go," her voice full of regret when they pulled apart.

"I heard. I understand Mara. I really do," he reassured her. "Karrde's organization is too vast and powerful for a coup that might erupt into a smugglers war. I'm not any happier then you are, but I do understand." They kissed again, passionate and full of promises before she broke away to get her travel bag.

10 minutes later and she emerged from her bedroom. Her hair in a simple braid but with elements of her earlier hairstyle woven in. A simple flight suit in exchange for her gown, knee boots to replace her heeled sandals, and a utility belt that held her blaster and lightsaber. A go bag, always packed, instead of a delicate silver handbag.

She was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"I'll make this night up to you," she swore. "I promise."

"I know you will," he assured her. "And I can wait even if it means waiting till the honeymoon."

"Hopefully sooner than that," and she smiled, though it was wan and melancholy.

"Hopefully, but remember," he comforted her as he enfolded her in his arms. "We will soon have the rest of our lives together. Waiting won't make that any different."

Her commlink chimed signaling Faughn was on the landing pad. "Can I walk you up?" He asked.

"Yes, I'd like that," she expressed with a sad smile and moved apart.

They took the turbolift up to the landing pad in silence, holding hands and hoping that whatever was happening in the Teke Ro system was solved soon. There wasn't much else to say. When the turbolift doors opened Mara moved out toward the landing pad. Luke had expected her to release his hand but she tugged him out with her. In full view of the _Starry Ice's_ bridge. Mara had never been so open with her affections in public before tonight. Looks like tonight is full of declarations, he thought.

When they reached the ship, the boarding ramp was already lowered. He plucked a stray crystal from her hair and she kissed him one more time. "I love you and I no longer care who knows it," she said and marched up the ramp.


End file.
